What's the best dog food out there?

Question

I want a straight and forward answer on what the best dog food is for my 6 month old lab. I hear the him-haw back and forth on dog foods, but I want the right answer. WHat is the best brand of dogfood?

Answer 1

Barf diet is the best food for him  http://www.barfworld.com/ but if you only want to feed dry anything that's a six on http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_...

Answer 2

Evo is the kibble i would feed if i no longer fed raw or if I had to travel on a short notice.

Basic rules about high quality dog food:

They do not contain any of the following:

Corn

Soy

Wheat

By-products

Menadione

Ethoxyquin

BHT

BHA

Colors

Euthanasia drugs(website listed in sources)

Organic does not mean high quality i.e. Karma is organic and made by an otherwise high quality company, but instead of being chocked full of meaty goodness, it is full of grains. It would be better to go with the non-organic innova.

A specified meat should be the first ingredient.

high quality dog foods that are grain free:

Evo

Orijen

Wellness core

Taste of the Wild

Blue Wilderness

Fromm-Surf & Turf

Now! by petcurean

Barking at the Moon by solid gold

High quality dog foods that contain grains:(not a complete list)

Innova

Canidae

Chicken soup for the pet lovers soul

Artemis

Solid gold

Wellness

Highest quality diet: A homemade raw diet:

Dogs are supposed to have meat, bones, and organs, preferably fresh, wholesome, and unprocessed. This is why many feed a homemade raw diet.

ww.rawfed.com/myths

www.rawmeatybones.com

www.rawlearning.com

A raw diet is typically cheaper than kibble worth buying.

For a dog fed raw, it is typically 2 to 3 percent of the dogs ideal body weight. Most raw feeders start at one percentage and adjust it as needed.

This site can tell you some great info about dogs and their diet s.

http://www.bigdogsporch.com/index.php

Here is a list of low quality dog foods:

Nutrience(Menadione, corn is the second ingredient, chicken flavor is questionable...etc)

Petguard organic

Nutrisource(another version of nutro)

Lifespan(full of corn)

l**k your chops

Karma(Way too many grains even if it is organic)

Evolve

Drs. foster and smith

Addiction foods-wild kangaroo and apples(flaxseed too high on list, look for something else if possible)

Della Natura - Wenaewe Adult(way too many seeds and oils, equivalent of birdseed)

Purina

Science diet

Beneful

Pro plan

ol'roy

royal canin

Iams

Eukanuba

Cesar

Nutro(involved in recall)

Mighty Dog

Pedigree

Burns

Back to basics(corn)

Azmira

Racheal rays dog food(Menadione)

Anything found in a grocery store or recommended by your vet.

Vets sell foods for kickbacks. It isnt a matter of nutrition, it is for financial benefits.

Answer 3

My vet recommended Innova (dry and canned).  Go to the site listed below and select "Innova Products" under "More Info" to see the ingredients in Innova.

Answer 4

That's impossible to say. The best brand of dog food for your dog is the high quality dog food that your dog does best on. You just need to see which of the high quality dog foods he/she does best on.

Examples of high quality foods to look for: Innova, Wellness, Solid Gold, Canidae All Life Stages, Fromm Four Star, Merrick, GO Natural, Nature's Variety Prairie, Nature's Logic, Artemis Fresh Mix.

Some good grainless diet's include: Innova EVO, Wellness CORE, Blue Wilderness, Nature's Variety Instinct, Orijen, Fromm Surf & Turf, Now! and Sold Gold Barking At The Moon, Taste of the Wild.

Answer 5

There is no 'best brand', but there are a lot of good brands.  I feed Orijen, but take a look at this site: http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com.  Anything with 4 or more stars is a good bet, though if you want the very best, go for something with 6.

Answer 6

~ I feed all of my dogs Orijen and I think it is one of the 3 best foods.  I wouldn't feed anything less!

Iams is one of the lowest foods you could feed, not to mention the company is horrific!  I can't believe anyone would recommend that!  Definitely do NOT keep your dog on puppy food for two years...I don't know what this person is smoking but you can do the research and see why this is a horrible idea!

Answer 7

Dear Becky,It,s great that you would take the interest in seeing your pet gets optimum nutrition from his food. Don,t fall for the so called paid "experts" who are on the pet food producers payroll. Yes, even some bright Vets. have fallen for these lines.I,ll give you a little inside info.I've  subsribed too for years.Price is not indicitve of quality!!!! Some of the top tier foods costing $45.00 plus are no better than foods costing 1/2 as much for a 40lb bag.Oh,I have access to a lab and did a casual 2 year study on these products.The answer may surprise you but I found Iams brand dry food to be as nutrit. and digestable as foods costing more.No I get no benifets from Iams for recomend.the product.What I've done is to keep my Boxers on this product for generations as have family and friends.I also recomd. that you keep your pet on Iams smart puppy for the first two years.Follow manufact.guidelines for feeding only break maximum sized prtion in two,one am feeding one pm feeding. It's also good to augment with a chewable vitamin too.I've also found that the Iams weight control biscuts are good treats and training rewards.Blue box costing about $2.50 @ Target/Walmart etc.Also Becky,NO CANNED FOOD.The risks of future health problems far out weigh the benifets.I hope you found this helpfull and give your pet a hug and pat for me.GoodLuck

Answer 8

There is no best brand; choice is a matter of human appeal.  All commercially prepared dog foods provide 100% of the nutrients a dog needs although some dogs seem to do better then others on a particular food (it is hit and miss).  The label says either "formulated to" or "feed tested" to thrive - feed tested is possibly better because it means a variety of dogs were fed the food over a long time period and all thrived and the other means it mimics another food that was feed tested.  Basically, just look at the label and if there is something you don't like, check another label and do so until you find one you like.  Whichever you pick, your dog will be well nourished.  

One thing to be aware of is that every one of the pet nutrition web sites have exactly zero scientific basis, ie, they are mere opinions and some of the differentiators are ludacrous at best.  The experts are veterinary nutritionists and, to really understand the label, one needs to go to the FDA site that explains it.    http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2001/30...

Answer 9

I have two, one and a half year old chocolate labs and I'd been studying that question a lot. No one is good, but the best is Pro Plan. I will like you to see the hair and teeth of them. Even its body, fit, but strong. Is the only one I have given  them since a month of age.